Coal-briquette machine



April 1, 1930. H. s. LAYNG 1,752,644 COAL BRIQUETTE MACHINE April 1, 130. H. a. LAYNG 2,

COAL BRIQUETTE MACHINE Filed July 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 RNE April 1, 1-930. H'. G. LAYNG COAL BRIQUETTE MACHINE Filed Jul'y 1.9, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 1,1930. H. G. LAYNG 1,752,644

GOAL BRIQUETTE MACHINE Filed July 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 1, 1930. H. s. LAYNG I COAL BRIQUETTE MACHINE Filed July 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Apr. 1, 1930 U ITE ES PATENT OFFICE HENRY GRANT LAYNG, DECEASED, LATE OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, BY ROSA ANNA I LAYNG, EXECUTRIX, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK COAL-BRIQUETTE MACHINE Application filed July 19, 1927. Serial No. 206,941.

This invention relates to improvements in coal briquette machines of the multi-plunger mold type into which the material is fed and compressed to form fuel briquettes of any desired shape.

The objects of this invention are to manufacture coal briquettes of uniform density, with great rapidity and in lar e quantities at low cost.

i I attain these objects by the briquette machine embodying the construction and arrangement and operation of parts hereafter described and shown in the accompanying drawings in which similar numerals of designation refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Fig. l is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic front section along the center of the molds and showing successive steps in the process.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly in section of the mechanism for cleaning the excess material away.

Fig. 6 is a partial detail perspective view of the above.

7 Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front view partly in section of the means for returning certain of the parts to their original position.

Fig. 8 is asection on line 8-8 of Flg. 7.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 2 there is provided two rotatably and cooperatively mounted molding rings containing a plurality of molds and plungers whereby the loose briquette material is formed into compressed briquettes. As embodied an upper ring 1 consisting of a casting of relatively large diameter is suitably mounted in angular relationship to a similar lower ring 2 so that at one point their respective lower and upper faces 3 and 4 are in contact. The lower face 3 of the ring 1 and similarly the upper face 4 of the ring 2 are beveled at an angle equal to one half of theangle formed by the setting of the upper and lower rings so that at the point of meeting of the two rings there is an extended area of contact.

The two rings 1 and 2 are rotatably mounted in any suitable manner so as to maintain their fixed angular relationship and there is shown one form that may be used which is efficient and easily adjustable for taking up wear of the mechanism and preserving its proper alignment. As embodied there is fixed upon the periphery of each ring 1 and so 2, supplemental bearing rings 5 and 6. These bearing rings are in rolling contact with flanged rollers 7 at-four equally spaced points of their circumference. The two pairs of rollers 7 on the sides of the machine serve to maintain the rings in vertical and horizontal relationship and against lateral movement, therollers 7 at the forward or compression side of the machine support and maintain the two rings in tangential contact and the two 24) rear rollers support and guide the rings at the fourth point. There is further provided a forward thrust roller 8 which cooperates with both bearing rings at the point of contact. To further maintain proper alignment of the .two rings 1 and 2 the bearing rings 5 and 6 are respectively provided with a tongue 9 and groove 10 which co-act at the point of contact of the two rings.

The guiding and supporting rollers 7 with so the exception of the forward ones are adj ustably mounted on brackets 12 fixed to the framework of the machine, and adjustment to correct the setting after wear, is secured by the manipulation of the screws 13 and their respective check nuts.

Means are provided for maintaining the rings 1 and 2 in fixed rotational relationship and as embodied these consist of a ring bevel gear 14 secured to an inwardly extending flange 15 on the ring 1 and a similar bevel gear 16 attached to an inwardlyextending flange 17 of the ring 2, the two bevel gears 14 and 16 meshing at the point of contact of the two rings. Thus it will be seen that any movement of one ring is accurately transmitted to the other.

Means are provided whereby the two rings 1 and 2 are continuously rotated so that the plungers and molds respectively contained therein are successively carried past various points in the machine where material is fed into the molds, compressed into briquettes and discharged as the finished product. As embodied (see Fig. the bevel gear 16 which is mounted on the lower ring 2 is utilized as the driven gear of a pair of bevel gears, the drive pinion 18 of which is secured to a shaft 19 which is journaled in a bearing block 20 mounted upon the base of the machine. The shaft 19 may be driven in any suitable manner and as illustrated this consists of a worm wheel 21 fixed upon the end of the shaft 19 and driven by the worm which in turn is driven by a motor 2:.

Means are provided in this machine for continuously feeding a measured quantity of briquette material into a plurality of molds and compressing this material in the molds by means of resiliently mounted plungers. As embodied (see Fig. 2) the upper ring 1 has a plurality of plungers 24 slidably mounted in bushings 27 fixed therein and the axes of which are at right angles to the under beveled face 3 of the ring. The upper ends of the plungers 24 project above the upper face of the ring 1 a considerable distance while the lower end or operating head 25 when in its retracted position lies slightly beneath the beveled face 3 of the ring. Within the body of the ring 1, the plungers 24 have a reduced portion or shank about which is placed a spring 26 one end of which rests against a shoulder formed on the inner surface of the bushing 27 and the other end against a shoulder formed on the plungers 24 midway between the operating head 25 and their upper ends. The spring 26 serves to keep the plungers 24 in the retracted position and thereby entirely with the ring 1, while the upper edge of the operating head 25 prevents the plungers 24 from being pushed upwardly and out of the ring by striking against the shoulder in the bushings 27.

The lower ring 2 has a plurality of bushings 28 mounted therein with their axes at right angles to the upper beveled face 4 of the ring. These bushings 28 are the molds wherein the individual briquettes are made, the bottom wall being formed by a compression plunger 29 designed to slide within the bushings 28. The compression plungers 29 when in their retracted position have their upper ends or operating head a sufiicient distance below the beveled face 4 of the ring 2 so that a proper and predetermined quantity of loose briquette material may be fed into the mold bushings 28. The plungers 29 are maintained in this position by having the foot rest upon an angle support- 30 which is fixed to the frame of the machine. The plungers 29 slide along this support when the machine is operating and any variation in the position of the support with respect to the ring 2 will cause a cor 'esponding change in position of the plungers, upwardly or downwardly as the case may be.

The hriquette forming material is fed downwardly into the molds continuously and automatically. To accomplish this there is provided a hopper or bin 35 the sides and ends of which have their lower edges in contact with the beveled face 4 of the ring 2. The hopper 35 is constructed to cover a large arc or area of the ring 2 (as shown in Fig. 3) so that each mold will travel in loading relation to the hopper 35 during a large part of each revolution of the ring. This arrangement permits of the ring being revolved rapidly while at the same time allowing ample time for loading all of the molds with approximately equal quantities of material. The output of a briquetting machine is largey controlled by the rapidity with which its molds can be loaded. It will be apparent, therefore, that my improved machine will have a large output per unit of time.

The ring 2 after passing from beneath the hopper 35 might possibly have an excess of material adhering to the surface thereof which would interfere with its proper operation when the rings 1 and 2 reach the point at which they make contact. To guard against this there is provided (see Figs. 5 and 6) a mechanism whereby this excess material is removed, and as embodied this consists of an adjustable plate 40 fixed to the frame-work of the machine near the discharge end of the hopper 35, which scrapes loose the surplus load and the surface of the ring is then thoroughly cleaned by means of a vacuum suction tube 42 located directly at the front of said plate and arranged to draw off the particles of the material resting upon the ring after which they may be returned to the hopper.

Referring again to Fig. 2 the plungers 24 in the upper ring 1 and the mold bushings 28 in the lower ring 2 are equal in number and so arranged that as the two rings are rotated and their beveled faces 3 and 4 make contact each plunger and mold arrive in accurate register and itis atthis point that the plunger 24 enters and closes the upper end of the mold while pressure is applied by means of the compression plunger 29 to form the loose material into the solid ln'iquettc.

The means provided for moving the plunger 24 into the mold 28 and closing it consist of a series of small rollers 45 (see Fig. 4) rotatably supported in a bracket 46 affixed to the frame of the machine at a point just forward of the contacting point of the two rings 1 and 2, and a large roller 47 ournaled in a bracket 48 (see Fig. 2) directly over this point of contact. These rollers 45 and 47 shown in Fig. 4, are so spaced in re lation to the ring 1 that as the ring rotates and carries the plungers 24 beneath them said plungers are moved downwardly against the action of the springs 26, a proper and predetermined distance.

After the plunger 24 has entered and closed the mold 28 (see Fi 4) but is still forward of the contacting position of the rings, the compression plunger 29 leaves the angular support 30 and rides upon a plurality of small rollers which are arranged to start the plunger on its upward and compressive travel.

Upon further rotation of the rings the plunger 29 (see Fig. 2) is carried from the rollers 50 into contact with the periphery of the large compression roller 51 which is 10- catet directly beneath the point of contact of the two The compression roller 51 is mounted for vertical movement and arranged to deliver a constant pressure to the plungers 29 at whatever position the plungers may happen to be in, due tomore or less material contained within the mold 28. As embodied the roller 51 is journaled on a wrist pin 55 fixed in the upper end of a piston 56 which reciprocates in a short cylinder 57 The piston may be held against rotation by any suitable means such as a key (not shown).

The piston 56 is actuated by any suitable fluid medium applied thereon at constant pressure so as to force the compression plungers 29 upwardly against the material in the molds 28 and thereby compress the material against the ri idly held operating head 25 of the plungers 24 in the upper ring 1.

Experience has shown that in the practical operation of a briquette machine it is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to load each mold with exactly the same quantity of material and consequently in such machines wherein the plungers are arranged to move through a fixed distance for each briquette formed, the briquettes willbe uniform in size but will vary in density. In this improved machine the plungers operate to compress the material contained in each mold irrespective of its quantity under constant pressure, and thereby produce briquettes of uniform density. The quantity of material contained in the molds will vary but slightly, therefore the briquettes will be practically uniform in size.

As the rings 1 and 2 continue their rotation beyond the contact or molding point, the compression plungers 29 are held in their raised position by engagement with a horizontal support or bar 60 while the upper plungers 24 will be freed from engagement with the roller 47 and will be retracted by the spring 26 to their initial position (as shown in Fig. 4).

The compression plunger 29 after leaving the support bar 60 (shown in Fig. 4) is carried over a series of ejector rollers 7 0 mounted in the frame of the machine and these urge the plungers upwardly until the formed briquette is thrown from the mold and discharged into a chute 61 (shown in Fig. 3) located adjacent to the lower ring 2 and having a guiding fin 62 extending over the surface of the ring to collect the discharged briquettes. After the briquettes have been discharged the lower head of the compression plunger 29 passes into engagement with a retracting guide bar 65 (shown in Fig. 7) which serves to pull the plunger downwardly until it again rests in its lowest position upon the angle support 30 (shown in Fig. 4), at which position it is ready for reloading as it passes beneath the hopper 35.

It is claimed and desired to protect by Letters Patent:

In a briquetting machine two rotary rings set at an angle to each other, a series of molds formed in one of said rings, a series of op positely placed pairs of plungers carried on said rings and movable endwise in the molds, a feed hopper adapted to load material into the molds, means for removing excess material, and means for operating the plungers whereby they are caused to exert a uniform pressure on the material contained in each mold irrespective of the exact quantity thereof so as to form a plurality of briquettes of uniform density.

' Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 15th day of July A. D. 1927.

ROSA ANNA LAYNG, Eweoutm'm of the Estate of H mm; Grant Lag n9, Deceased. 

